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CHAPEL HILL – North Carolina offensive line Coach Randy Clements met with the media following the Tar Heels' practice Thiursday, providing insights into the offensive line's progress, individual player development, and his coaching philosophy.

Above is the video of Clements' Q&A session, and below are key takeaways from what he discussed:

INJURIES AND PLAYER UPDATES

-Clements did not specifically mention any injuries but focused on the development and progress of individual players.

-Will Barnes is praised for his hard work and eagerness to learn, with Clements rating his progress as an A-plus.

-Diego Pounds' improvement was highlighted, and he's pushing to get on the field.

-Willie Lampkin, John Adorno, and Ed Montilus are competing for two guard spots, with Clements emphasizing the importance of having eight guys ready to play.

OFFENSE

-The coach emphasized the importance of being multiple in running the football and not being one-dimensional. The challenge is to look complicated but be simple, giving defenses different looks.

-Clements praised the competitive spirit of the players, especially those who don't like to lose in competition, noting that it's a quality difficult to coach.

-The goal is to have eight guys that can be plugged in at any time, and Clements believes they are close to achieving that.

-Pass blocking was discussed, with Clements expressing satisfaction with the progress so far. He also highlighted the benefit of having a mobile quarterback like Drake, who can extend plays with his feet.

COACHING PHILOSOPHY AND STRATEGY

-Clements shared his coaching philosophy, focusing on being fundamentally sound and enabling players to play fast and physical.

-He talked about the importance of not repeating mistakes and stacking good days on top of good days.

-The coach also emphasized the need to be more physical, differentiating between stalemates and coming off aggressively to dent the line of scrimmage.

ADDITIONAL NOTES

-Clements spoke about the collaboration with other coaches, including Freddie Kitchens and Larry Porter, to maximize the offensive scheme.

-He also discussed the balance between what the offense wants to do and the players' strengths, aiming for a multifaceted approach to running the football.

-The coach's excitement about watching the players in action was evident, and he expressed looking forward to the upcoming games.

Clements' press conference provided valuable insights into the Tar Heels' offensive line, reflecting a positive outlook for the upcoming season.